Governor Newsom Prioritizes Higher Education in First Budget Proposal
The new Governor proposes a historic $1.4 billion increase over last year’s budget with key investments in college access, success, and affordability.

In his first budget proposal, Governor Gavin Newsom demonstrates that he clearly understands the value of a college education in helping to break the cycle of poverty, providing life-long opportunity, and creating a strong economy. Budget investments for thousands of new seats for California students, proven practices that improve graduation rates, and college affordability are the first steps toward the bold new vision and action California needs in higher education.

Understanding that free community college is just one tool to address the affordability challenges facing today’s students, Governor Newsom rightly proposes over $150 million to address hunger, housing, and the needs of student parents at our community colleges and public universities.

We applaud the governor for giving a clear directive to our college and university leaders to continue to improve transfer, time to degree, student success, and to close college success gaps.

The governor has kept his campaign promise to establish a strong educational data system from pre-K to K-12 to college and the workforce. Now is the time for the governor to exercise his leadership in establishing a statewide higher education coordinating body that is inclusive of the civil rights and business communities, that can set an ambitious North Star goal for statewide college attainment, that regularly monitors progress, and holds our colleges and universities accountable for delivering on the foundation the governor is laying in his budget proposal.

“The governor is proposing significant investments in expanding college access, improving college affordability, supporting undocumented students, and requiring our college campuses to improve transfer, time to degree, and close gaps for underserved students – that is a win for our students and our economy,” said Michele Siqueiros, president of the Campaign for College Opportunity.

“In 2018, Governor Newsom (then Lieutenant Governor) sat down with us during our gubernatorial forum to answer questions and share his vision for higher education. He made important commitments that are included in this budget proposal, but there is still more to be done. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Newsom and the Legislature as we work toward a final budget in June to ensure more Californians benefit from the promise of college opportunity so our economy can continue to thrive,” concluded Siqueiros.

Key Higher Education Budget Highlights:

Longitudinal Data System
  •  $10 million one-time allocation to plan, develop, and implement a longitudinal data system to connect student information from early education through the workforce.

College Access
  • $10 million in permanent funding to support 1,000 enrollment slots previously supported by one-time funds and an additional $15 million to expand certificate programs and degrees at UC extension centers with a focus on outreach to adults with some college experience, but no degree;

  • $62 million in on-going funding for CSU enrollment growth of 7,000 resident students.

Student Success
  • $45 million in on-going funding for the CSU Graduation Initiative 2025;

  • $49.9 million in on-going funding to support UC efforts to improve student success, timely completion, and closing of degree attainment gaps.

Affordability and Supporting Student Basic Needs
  • An expectation that the CSU and UC will hold tuition rates flat;

  • $40 million in on-going funding to support the California College Promise to waive fees for a second academic year for first-time, full-time students with an additional $5 million in one-time funding for program outreach;

  • $121.6 million in on-going funding to provide or increase Cal Grant awards for student parents;

  • $9.6 million to support an additional 4,250 Competitive Cal Grant awards for a total of 30,000 awards;

  • $15 million in on-going funding to assist the UC’s efforts to address student hunger and housing insecurity and $15 million in one-time support for similar efforts at the CSU.

Supporting Undocumented Students
  • Over $18 million in on-going funding to support undocumented students at the UC, CSU, and California Community Colleges.

To read the official budget documents produced by the Department of Finance, click here .